The Adventure Club Afloat eBook

“She’s the Follow Me,” declared
Harry Corwin. “She must be, or she wouldn’t
be running without lights.”

“We’ll know before long,” said Steve.
“I wish the moon would stay out a little longer,
though. Joe, try the searchlight and see if you
can pick her up.”

But the craft ahead was a good mile away and the Adventurer’s
small searchlight was not powerful enough to bridge
that distance with its white glare. “They’re
making for the harbour, anyway,” said Harry
Corwin, “and so she can’t get away from
us if we lose her now.” Even as he ended
the last pallid rays of the moon vanished and they
found themselves in darkness save for the wan radiance
of the stars. Lights unnoticed before sprang
up in the gloom along the shore and a dim radiance
in the sky showed where the town of Gloucester slumbered.

“If they double on us now we’ll lose them,”
muttered Steve. “Put that light out, Joe.
We can see better without it.”

“How far off is the harbour?” asked Harry.

“About two miles. You can hear the whistle
buoy. That white light to the left of the red
flash is the beacon on the end of the breakwater.”
He moved the helm a trifle and examined the chart.
“There are no rocks, anyway, and that’s
a comfort. I can’t say I like this running
at night. How far away was she when the moon
went back on us, Harry?”

“Oh, three-quarters, at a rough guess.”

“Nearer a mile and a quarter, I’d say.
Well, if she doesn’t dodge along shore we’ll
have her in the harbour. Always supposing, that
is, that she really is the Follow Me.”

“She can’t be anything else,” answered
Harry. “No sensible skipper would go ploughing
around at night without a light. Hello! Isn’t
that a light there now?”

“Where? Yes, you’re right! She’s
lighted up at last! Afraid to go in without lights,
I dare say, for fear of arousing suspicion. I’m
getting to believe she is the Follow Me,
Harry.”

“I haven’t doubted it once. Do you
suppose she knows we’re after her?”

“She knows we’re here, of course, but
she can’t be certain we’re after her.
Still, turning that searchlight on was a sort of give-away.
If she really does go inside it’s just because
she’s afraid of her fuel giving out. We’d
better anchor as far out as we can and keep our eyes
open until daylight comes.”

“She couldn’t get gas before morning,
I guess,” said Joe. “Looks to me
as if, if she is the Follow Me, they’ve
run themselves into a trap!”